Musharraf urges India on concessions over Kashmir

Brussels, Sept 12: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf urged India to make early concessions to solve the Kashmir issue, saying he was optimistic a solution was within reach.

Gen Musharraf spoke during a visit to Brussels before a meeting, scheduled for the end of this week, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Havana.

''The objective is within reach ... I am really hopeful the process will move forward,'' he told an audience of European lawmakers.

Gen Musharraf insisted it was India's turn to make concessions and take into account long-running indications from Islamabad that it would no longer insist on a plebiscite among Kashmiris over their future.

''I have not given an inch. We will not move away from our stance until we see India move away from its stance,'' he said, insisting a firm agreement to dispense with a plebiscite was dependent on Indian efforts to find a compromise.

''We have to engage in out-of-the-box thinking ... An out-of-the-box solution is required,'' he said, calling for more local Kashmiri involvement in resolving the dispute.

''Any settlement must be acceptable first to the people of Kashmir.''

REUTERS

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